Market Associate

Division: Supervision, Policy & Competition
Department: Cross-cutting Market Analysis and Strategy
Salary: National (Edinburgh and Leeds) ranging from £40,600 to £47,000 and London £44,900 to £50,000 per annum (Salary offered will be based on skills and experience)
This role is graded as: Associate, Regulatory
Your recruitment contact is Shafika via shafika.shaikh@fca.org.uk. Applications must be submitted through our online portal. Applications sent via social media or email will not be accepted.
About The FCA And Team
We regulate financial services firms in the UK, to keep financial markets fair, thriving and effective. By joining us, you’ll play a key part in protecting consumers, driving economic growth, and shaping the future of UK finance services.
In SPC, we oversee firms and individuals (supervision), create and review the rules by which they operate (policy) and identify and remedy ineffective competition in markets (competition). Sitting in the Payments and Digital Assets directorate, the Cross-Cutting Market Analysis and Strategy department develops sector wide strategies and provides the analysis and data needed to identify risks, opportunities and trends to support supervision and policy making.
Role Responsibilities
Support with the delivery of the strategic workstreams that shape the FCA’s approach to payments and digital assets - driving innovation and regulatory clarity in a rapidly evolving sector
Build strong, collaborative relationships across the FCA, working flexibly with teams to identify and solve complex challenges
Undertake horizon scanning and market and sector analysis to identify emerging trends, risks, and opportunities that enables proactive, informed outcomes to help consumers and supports market integrity
Develop and produce clear and insightful reports and presentations setting out key risks and opportunities for stakeholders
Deliver engaging training, advice, briefings to FCA colleagues, supporting and empowering them with the knowledge to navigate crypto related issues effectively
Minimum
Skills required:
Prior experience of managing regulatory matters including experience of payments or compliance
Proven experience of building and managing relationships with stakeholders
Prior experience working in financial services, legal or for a regulator or public body
Essential
Knowledge of the impact of regulation on consumers, including unintended outcomes
Ability to evaluate detailed information and reach difficult conclusions, including managing ambiguity
Ability to work at pace and under pressure, use sound judgement and escalate issues appropriately
Ability to balance and manage clashing priorities, working solo and in a team, and manage several work streams simultaneously
Benefits
~25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
~ Hybrid model with up to 60% remote work
~ Non-contributory pension (8–12% depending on age) and life assurance at eight times your salary
~ Private healthcare with Bupa, income protection, and 24/7 Employee Assistance
~35 hours of paid volunteering annually
~ A flexible benefits scheme designed around your lifestyle

For a full list of our benefits, and our recruitment process as a whole visit our benefits page .
Our Values & Culture
Our colleagues are the key to our success as a regulator. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture: one that’s free from discrimination and bias, celebrates difference, and supports colleagues to deliver at their best. We believe that our differences and similarities enable us to be a better organisation – one that makes better decisions, drives innovation, and delivers better regulation.
If you require any adjustments due to a disability or condition, your recruiter is here to help - reach out for tailored support.
We welcome diverse working styles and aim to find flexible solutions that suit both the role and individual needs, including options like part-time and job sharing where applicable.
Disability Confident: Our Hiring Approach
We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer , and therefore, people or individuals with disabilities and long-term conditions who best meet the minimum criteria for a role will go through to the next stage of the recruitment process. In cases of high application volumes we may progress applicants whose experience most closely matches the role’s key requirements.
Useful Information and Timeline
Timeline
Advert Closing Date: 7th December 2025
CV Review/Shortlist: 9th December 2025
Case Study Assessment: w/c 7th November 2025
First Interview: w/c 15th December 2025
Your Recruiter will discuss the process in detail with you during screening for the role, therefore, please make them aware if you are going to be unavailable for any date during this time.